It was an era of Democrat supermajority

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Letter-writer Maryanne Rose said that in December 2009 Republicans were in charge of the House of Representatives [“The U.S has served the wealthy too well,” April 16].

However, from 2006 through 2010 Nancy Pelosi and her band of misfits were in charge of the House, and the Democrats had a 60-vote supermajority in the Senate from 2008 until Ted Kennedy's death in August 2009 and the subsequent Republican victory in a 2010 special election. Said another way, the Republicans could do nothing to stop anything President Barack Obama wanted to do in his first two years.

President Barack Obama himself said that the reason he extended the Bush-era tax cuts was because raising taxes in a down economy wouldn't be a good thing to do. Of course, that was before he needed to divide the country to win re-election.

If you can remember, Ms. Rose, former President George W. Bush was faced with a major economic downturn of his own, inherited from his predecessor President Bill Clinton. It was called the “dot-com bubble” and shortly after that came Sept. 11. Bush's solution was to cut taxes for everyone, not just the rich and to rebate monies back from the government to every taxpayer. And guess what? Unemployment went down to 4.5 percent, fuel prices were below $2 per gallon. Don't get me started on the price of a loaf of bread. Wouldn't we like some of that now?

Instead, you greedy Democrats constantly blame the successful in our country and want to “bring them down.” How about dropping the class-warfare rhetoric and try to realize that it's not the 1 percent who is the problem; it's government regulation and control of markets that inhibit competition, and it's the 48 percent who believe they can take from a system that they don't contribute to.

Matt Van Gorden

Huntington Beach

The juxtaposition of two letters in Monday's paper was priceless. The first, by letter-writer Maryanne Rose, took half a column to rant on the evils of former President George W. Bush and his wealthy right-wingers. The very next letter [“Living the Hunger Games”] describing a $40,000 per plate campaign dinner for Obama.

Jack Bowden

Buena Park

Letters like the one from Maryanne Rose urge poor people to vote for Democrats because they will take money from rich people and give it to poor people in exchange for their vote. However, politicians who will do that will also take money from poor people and give it to the rich in exchange for campaign contributions. Guess who wins this game? Vote for a thief, get a thief.

Russ Neal

Huntington Beach

Brangelina in the news

What is the hullabaloo about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt getting engaged? They don't even call it an engagement ring but a promise-for-the-future ring or some such nonsense. The contention is that their children have been begging them to get married. Are any of their children old enough to give a big whoop if their parents are legally wed or not?

Jolie broke up his marriage to Jennifer Anniston and they have been living together for six-plus years and now revert to tradition. Much ado about nothing. Is getting married at this juncture really newsworthy, or are we just desperate for any balderdash that comes out of Hollywood?

Their decision is about a day late and six-plus years short.

Barbara Shepard

Huntington Beach

The great U.S. divide

A brilliant example of the conservative/liberal divide in this country was shown in Sunday letters [“Americans stand on dangerous ground,” April 15]. Kudos to letter-writers Mike Rodgick, J. Morgan, Bob Greenspan and Jim Salley for their insightful, factual and logical letters that laid out the damage that Obama and his liberal minions have done to this great country in the past four years.

Contrast that with the fluff liberal talking points from Cathy Chrislip Gronau. She claims conservatives (and others) who oppose Obamacare are not following “the Christian way.” She ignores the fact that the “Christian way” emphasizes individual responsibility rather than the government mandating health care for all.

If, as Gronau claims, health care should be available for everyone by government mandate, why not houses, food, cars (green of course) or anything else that someone claims we must have?

The liberal meme comes at the expense of our country's financial health, as well as mortgages the future of our children. Ironically, liberals who claim to want to help everyone have no problem selling out our kids by claiming that the “Christian way” justifies it.

Greg Woodard

Mission Viejo

Obama's great gig

Obama releases his 2011 tax return and we are supposed to be impressed he has slipped under the 1-percenter wire. It's funny how news wires report the amount earned. Some report adjusted gross income and some actually know how to read a tax return and found the gross amount of income.

What no one mentions are the untaxed benefits Obama has that you and I pay for: housing (White House) complete with staff, round-the-clock security (Secret Service) free food, utilities, phone, transportation and gas, free offices and staff, water and trash, and, best of all, unlimited free travel anywhere in the world for him and his family accompanied by an expensive entourage of staff and security. Doesn't anyone go to Camp David anymore?

By my recollection, that puts the Obama family into 1-percenter territory. And the best part? His effective tax rate is lower than mine, even though his income is close to $1 million and mine is far removed from that mark.

Norma Yarbrough

Fountain Valley

End ‘nation building'

The great article, “Student loans a time bomb” [News, April 15], resonated with me. Since Proposition 13 was passed (a tax break) the education system in California has fallen from affordable and excellent to just OK and not affordable.

Many of the 8-plus percent of unemployed are unable to fill jobs that require an education especially in math and science.

To justify Reaganomics, the trickle-down theory and the Bush tax cuts, companies and industries that benefited from them have raised profits by exporting jobs. As profits got higher, taxes have gotten lower, the military budget has increased and education, research and science have suffered. How many students could we educate if we did away with a few unused bombers and drones? How easy would it be to reduce the deficit with slightly higher taxes, investment in education and giving up a 10-year effort of “nation building?

American war hero, Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower said at his farewell address: “beware of the military industrial complex.” He should be quoted by his party. His warning has become reality.

Arthur Friedman

Newport Beach

The Korean junket

Our president recently did the usual photo-op at the Demilitarized Zone dividing North and South Korea. I'm not sure who looked like the bigger fool: The North Koreans with a rocket that blew up a minute after launch or the president wearing a nametag that read, “Barack Obama – Commander in Chief.”

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